One week after staking his claim as the NFL's grossest quarterback, Aaron Rodgers got in his time machine, found open receivers downfield and ground the Cincinnati Bengals' hot start to a halt. Drake Maye, emerging from a similar situation, was not as lucky. He took over the top spot in our rankings this week — and for the season to date. It's not a list you want to reign over.
We're not worried about the guys we expected to be bad. This ranking is all about the good (or at least respected) quarterbacks who fell short of their standard. So, with apologies to the recent rise of Rodgers, Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith and Michael Penix Jr., let's talk about the guys who stunk.
There's no perfect metric for a quarterback's impact, but expected points added
(EPA) helps measure their ability to swing the outcome of a game through the air, on the ground and through avoiding negative plays. Last year, EPA told us Maye and Matthew Stafford were a cut above the rest of the league's quarterbacks in the regular season, netting 151.3 and 120.3 EPA, respectfully. No one else in the league topped triple digits.
We can use EPA to help dissect which quarterbacks underwhelmed the hardest in their debut. By comparing their Week 3 EPA across their 2025 averages, we get a better idea of whose fans should be most annoyed. And so, we end up with a "worst QBs" list that doesn't include Jameis Winston or Cam Ward, simply because their standards are subterranean. You have to be at least decent in the past — or otherworldly awful on a given week — to wind up in the gross QB rankings.
We'll also look at completion percentage over expected (CPOE), which gives you a good idea of which quarterbacks are making tough throws (and, in some cases, being bailed out by exceptional catches). All data come from NFL Pro.
We'll also keep a running tally of the times each quarterback lands here. We'll score that placement track meet style — 10 points for first place, then eight, six, four, two and one — in order to figure out who was truly 2026's grossest passer.
Honorable mention: Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- 2025 EPA/game: 3.7
- Week 3 EPA: -5.8
- Difference: 9.5 points worse
- 2025 CPOE: 1.5 percent
- Week 3 CPOE: -2.2 percent
- Difference: 3.7 points worse
This feels like an interesting place to point out the data aren't always correct! But Allen's day started with four completions over four drives — two to his teammates and two to the Los Angeles Chargers. LA bungled that, because that seems to be its theme for 2026. The former MVP recovered, added a pair of rushing touchdowns (and a 21-yard scramble) and no harm was done.
5. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
- 2025 EPA/game: 7.1
- Week 3 EPA: -3.1
- Difference: 10.2 points worse
- 2025 CPOE: Two percent
- Week 3 CPOE: -0.1 percent
- Difference: 2.1 points worse
Stafford's desperation heave into the end zone late in a game the Rams probably should have already won cost him 2.1 EPA and landed him at the tail end of this week's ranks. It also furthered Talanoa Hufanga's torment of him; the All-Pro safety absolutely smoked him on a blitz earlier in the second half and helped swing the game with a fourth quarter pick-six.
HOUSE CALL.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 28, 2026
📺: @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/rvtzMZwzoT
That was worth negative-9.3 EPA, consigning the Rams to fight from underneath in a game they led 16-0 at halftime. Despite soundly outplaying a rattled Bo Nix early, Stafford was outshined by the young quarterback late. Los Angeles' inability to turn long drives into touchdowns created the leverage for a comeback. He couldn't overcome third-and-long situations in the second quarter, leaving two drives that covered 112 yards to net just six points (a third was cut short by halftime after 54 more yards).
Stafford was unusually spry with his legs, but he pretty much had to be after the Broncos' halftime adjustments helped generate pressure on nearly 60 percent of his dropbacks in the final 30 minutes. He gained just 81 yards on 20 pass attempts while pressured, losing another 24 across four sacks. Not everyone can match the up-front power of the Broncos, but it could be the blueprint that keeps a 38-year-old quarterback from fulfilling the Rams' promise as preseason Super Bowl favorites.
On the season, Stafford has only completed 47.6 percent of his passes against the blitz. That should change once he has another man-coverage beating wideout in Puka Nacua back on the roster — his completion rate was a stellar 63.6 percent when blitzed last season — but it's worth monitoring. Age is coming for him at some point, and we've seen what it's done to Aaron Rodgers' downfield game as the specter of getting mashed into paste looms.
4. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
- 2025 EPA/game: 3.9
- Week 3 EPA: -6.4
- Difference: 10.3 points worse
- 2025 CPOE: 3.6 percent
- Week 3 CPOE: -0.2 percent
- Difference: 3.8 points worse
Jones is playing on a curve. He's coming back from an Achilles injury that has limited his mobility. He's without two of his top targets from last year's breakthrough, Alec Pierce (injured) and Michael Pittman Jr. (traded, in part to be able to afford Pierce's contract extension). But he's been dynamic enough to oversee a run (and play-action) reliant offense that hasn't been able to reclaim his downfield success through three weeks.
His passing wasn't as much of a concern in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. Flashbacks to his worst moments as a New York Giants were (well, outside of that time he cost himself an 80-yard touchdown run by tripping over his own feet).
TEXANS BALL!!!!!!!
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 27, 2026
📺: @nfloncbs / @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/TWdLNgI53A
Indianapolis backed up against an elite pass rush and found little space for its quarterback to operate. Will Anderson was a menacing figure that will haunt his dreams, racking up 2.5 sacks and nine pressures across 33 pass rushing reps. Jones fumbled three times, losing two. He also threw away a scoring opportunity when Danielle Hunter bore down on him like a tsunami on third down inside Houston territory.
Reed READ that 😏
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 27, 2026
📺: @nfloncbs / @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/OBYpOL1vQt
There is room for improvement. Because this is Daniel Jones, there is also room for regression. His average pass this season has traveled only 6.5 yards downfield, fourth-lowest in the NFL(ahead of Cam Ward, Jacoby Brissett and... Patrick Mahomes?!) and his lowest mark since 2022. He's been more of a caretaker than a dynamo, but on Sunday we saw signs of the old Danny Dimes in his DNA. The Colts still escaped with a win, but it's at least a bit concerning.
3. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- 2025 EPA/game: -0.2
- Week 3 EPA: -12.7
- Difference: 12.5 points worse
- 2025 CPOE: -1.7 percent
- Week 3 CPOE: -16.1 percent
- Difference: 14.4 points worse
You can't explain Mayfield's struggles away thanks to the dislocated thumb that ended his afternoon and will keep him off the field for the next few weeks — he suffered it late in the fourth quarter and left the game. You can explain it with this; the veteran has struggled against the blitz over the last two seasons, and then he had to face the clan of cocaine-addled bears that is Brian Flores' Minnesota Vikings defense. Flores blitzed him on more than 61 percent of his dropbacks, hit him 12 times and sacked him six more.
.@ivan_pacejr big weekend 💜
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 27, 2026
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/YvifHq2iXC
To his credit, he was able to avoid pressure and turn his eyes upfield, but the neverending schedule of train arrivals in his pocket meant rushed throws and missed opportunities. He attempted seven throws that traveled at least 15 yards downfield. He only completed one, though he made it count:
TED TUDDY 👏
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) September 27, 2026
📺: #MINvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/ahGe73TPXK
It was rough sledding from there. He converted only three of 16 third down opportunities, one of which came via a Josh Metellus unnecessary roughness penalty. Mayfield badly needs a reset after hitting at least -9.9 EPA in each of his three games this season; his -35.9 EPA for the season ranks dead last among starting quarterbacks. He's completed only 14 of 36 throws to travel more than 10 yards downfield — a 38.9 percent completion rate well below the 49.1 percent of his 2023 and 2024 NFC South-winning Tampa Bay peak.
And he signed a three-year, $165 million contract extension before the 2026 season began. Eeeesh.
2. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
- 2025 EPA/game: 0.4
- Week 3 EPA: -17.6
- Difference: 18 points worse
- 2025 CPOE: Three percent
- Week 3 CPOE: -4.6 percent
- Difference: 7.6 points worse
Hurts had an opportunity to revitalize the Eagles in a matchup against Case Keenum and a defense that gave up 30-plus points to Bryce Young in Week 1. But the Chicago Bears forced him into a low-impact passing attack that echoed eastern Pennsylvania's frustration with Philly's playcalling in primetime.
On a night where Saquon Barkley thrived (when his runs weren't negated by holding penalties), first year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion turned away from play-action calls and downfield throws, effectively shrinking Hurts' world (and keeping defenders in range to snuff out his scrambles before they could extend drives). Barkley averaged 5.5 yards per carry, but Mannion used play action on just four of 30 dropbacks. That's in line with Hurts' season average with the new OC; his 15.2 percent PA rate is by far the lowest of his career, down from 23.6 percent in 2025 and 22.9 in a Super Bowl-winning 2024.
Extra static in the secondary means fewer throws downfield. Only six of his 25 passes in Week 3 went at least 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Only one player, Devonta Smith, had more than 32 receiving yards. Like another player yet to come on this list, he seemed to be defaulting to autopilot and avoiding trouble (without A.J. Brown he's throwing into tight windows about half as often as he did the previous four seasons). That's mostly safe, but also leads to crippling mistakes.
Takeaway T.J. 😤
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 29, 2026
📺: ESPN pic.twitter.com/ejNM7OGvUN
Huh. Actually I don't know who that was supposed to go to, but he absolutely missed T.J. Edwards dropping into coverage, which is a concern on fourth and five!
Either way, the Hurts we saw Monday night made some nice throws downfield, then largely stopped trying them even though he trailed throughout the second half. There's a burden to be put on the playcalling here, but also questions raised by his urgency and decision-making. There's a burden on the blocking, which allowed a team with a top-five blitz rate and bottom-seven pressure rate to get to Hurts on 40 percent of his dropbacks.
In short, everything is a mess. Go Birds.
1. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
- 2025 EPA/game: 8.9
- Week 3 EPA: -15.9
- Difference: 24.8 points worse
- 2025 CPOE: 9.0 percent
- Week 3 CPOE: 0.6 percent
- Difference: 8.4 points worse
Maye took over the top spot this week and in the running rankings below. It's not difficult to see why.
Let your game speak, 12 🤫 @TravisHunterJr | #NEvsJAX on CBSpic.twitter.com/Cx68N1JkSb
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) September 27, 2026
Maye was the NFL's most efficient passer when blitzed and under pressure last season. This year, his -19.2 EPA with defenders in the pocket is 21st-best. That could be manageable if not for his four interceptions without pressure. His -1.7 EPA from a clean pocket is fourth-worst among starting quarterbacks.
Defenses have trusted their four-man rushes to generate pressure and waited for Maye to throw shots into windows that may have been there in practice but are no longer an option. Opponents last season blitzed him about 10.5 times per game in the regular season. This year that's down to 8.3.
Even so, his pressure rate has increased to 41 percent, meaning he doesn't only have to process quickly but also deal with stacked secondaries. He's relying on what's worked in the past, but yesterday's price is not today's price.
As a result, Maye has five interceptions and a 41.4 passer rating when not blitzed. Firing 20 passes into the turf would get him a 39.6. It's bad!
There's reason to believe it will improve. Maye has been at his worst throwing to X and Z receivers along the sideline. That's a spot A.J. Brown could have taken, but he's on injured reserve. It's a role Kayshon Boutte filled in the past, but he's a Houston Texan. It's where Romeo Doubs has played most of his snaps, but his Patriots debut was so rocky it led to *multiple* text messages from friends back in Rhode Island asking about when New England can escape his four-year contract.
Brown will return. Doubs will improve. The blocking will get better, either as Morgan Moses gets healthier or first round pick Caleb Lomu works his way into the lineup.
The question is whether a terrible postseason and a garbage start to 2026 will keep Maye from ever reaching his lofty 2025 heights again. He has the tools to make it happen. He and Josh McDaniels need to adjust on the fly, react to coverage and simulated blitzes and find a way to rally the Patriots back from a 1-2 start for the second straight season.
Way too-early FTW Gross QB rankings after Week 3
1. Drake Maye, New England Patriots: 18 points
2. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers: 14
3. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 12
t-4. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos: 10
t-4. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams: 10
t-4. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts: 10
7. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles: 8
8. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers: 7
9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: 2
t-10. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans: 1
t-10. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills: 1
This article originally appeared on For The Win: NFL quarterback rankings: Drake Maye, you (!) are the grossest QB of Week 3
